Picking up the pace

Wednesday

Apr 16, 2014 at 6:00 AM

Some 200 politicians, dignitaries, and local business and education leaders will be at the Hanover Theatre today as part of The Atlantic's "Building the Future" tour, an effort by the venerable magazine to explore American innovation.

We think they'll like what they see and hear. Worcester has long been on the industrial forefront, from its steel-and-wire days to its present mix of specialty manufacturing and medical and life sciences innovation.

Drawing together business and education leaders, and telling the story of what's right about Worcester and Central Massachusetts is welcome.

But we can't help but note that the factors that continue to hold Worcester back, while well-known and repeatedly cited by many observers, have remained unaddressed for too long.

As highlighted in a March report done for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, "Worcester Regional Economic Competitiveness Outlook," obstacles include a need for more streamlined and online permitting, high taxes, and a need for more job training to match able workers to companies' needs.

The training element is being addressed, but too often in a haphazard manner, or less efficiently than it could be. Training grants and resources are available, but do not always get the publicity and awareness they need. Workers in search of new skills and opportunities must navigate a patchwork of programs.

Nonetheless, we are confident that the efforts of the Chamber, the business community, the regional Workforce Investment Board, the city's many secondary and post-secondary schools, and many others, will eventually succeed.

Worcester's demographic prospects are also brighter than those in many other places. The area's population is younger than average, and the city remains a magnet for immigrants from around the world. Together, those realities suggest a strong labor force for existing and potential employers, provided those workers get the training they need.

We remain puzzled, however, by reports and anecdotes suggesting that Worcester remains behind the curve on providing the kind of one-stop permitting and online access some places offer.

And the City Council, while making modest steps toward narrowing the gap between the city's residential and commercial tax rates, still has far to go.

Worcester is a very good place to live, work, and start a business. It can be a great place. But reaching greatness will require more than talk, forums and reports. It means making politically difficult decisions, pushing municipal departments to implement change, and bringing in a city manager with business smarts who can get the Heart of the Commonwealth racing again.